


a rose, by any other name

by m0dus0perandi



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Other, Sharing a Bed, Touch-Starved, and SO AM I BABY!, dark matters au, does a nightmare count as hurt? I assume so, fake dating au, i guess?, only one bed trope, peter is simping HARD, rita is a dear, self indulgent, they are both Pretty, this fic will make my crush on nureyev so painfully obvious I swear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m0dus0perandi/pseuds/m0dus0perandi
Summary: An AU where Juno works with Dark Matters rather than being a private eye. He's been assigned to join newbie agent Rex Glass on a mission that involves pretending to be newlyweds and surely, as we all know, they absolutely will NOT fall in love. Totally. Absolutely. Yep.
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, Rita & Juno Steel
Comments: 22
Kudos: 70





	1. vibing in the workplace

**Author's Note:**

> sorry that this chapter is so short, gang :( this is my first fic so I'm still trying to figure out what works in terms of chapter length and pacing and such! I hope you enjoy this, I have a lot planned for this au :) also this WILL HAVE MORE CHAPTERS I just don't know how to make it appear as 1/? rather than 1/1 aaaaa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SETTING THE SCENE BABY! RITA IS THERE!

Juno Steel had never really considered himself a romantic. He just wasn't the kind of gal to click with most people and, frankly, something abrasive in his personality tended to drive any potential partners away like a herd of cattle. It was fine by him; he didn't have much time to date considering his work hours and it wasn't as if he was particularly upset about that. It did, however, mean that he was somewhat…. inexperienced when it came to ‘couple things’. Y’know, the pet names, the cuddling and casual touching, the kisses without a second thought- all of which he'd be required to do for his upcoming mission.

Working with Dark Matters was great at times; good pay, lots of benefits, the opportunity to help so many people…. but the job itself was also a bitch. Especially when his superiors wanted him to go prancing off on a five star retreat pretending to be married to a total stranger. Look, Juno was TRYING to be optimistic about all this. The retreat was at some cushy hotel filled with rich snobs, which meant it would definitely be comfortable. He'd be eating well, sleeping well, dressing to the nines and all he had to do was figure out which of his fellow guests was planning to steal some old fart’s fancy gadget! Well, that and…. y’know. Keep up a solid pretence of being madly in love. Still, all things considered it was a pretty good deal.

Juno tried to beat that idea into his brain as he strode down the hall of the Dark Matters headquarters. He had a rough schedule of his morning planned out, and by rough schedule that meant exactly two activities: coffee with Rita in the break room and then meeting in his boss’s office for a mission briefing. That would also be his first interaction with the guy who he was supposed to spend a week being married to, and admittedly he was a little nervous. Just a little. Who wouldn't be, right? It didn't exactly help that nobody had even heard of the guy before he joined. What if he turned out to be a total jackass? Opening the door to the break room, he scolded himself internally. He'd handled his fair share of assholes right from the moment he popped out of the womb. He could handle this guy, even if-

“MISTAH STEEL!” Before Juno could even finish his own thought, he had all the breath knocked from his lungs in a single whumph as someone barrelled into him.  
“Rita- Rita, you're suffocating me-”  
“Oh my gosh Mistah Steel, I'm SO SORRY!” Rita leapt back on cue, hands clutched together. “I just miss ya SO MUCH, ya know?”  
Juno couldn't help but chuckle.  
“It's only been a couple of hours.”  
“I still miss you! It's like how Frannie says her dog always waits by the door and jumps all over her when she gets home ‘cause he misses her so much! I'm the dog, Mistah Steel! OOOH, what kinda dog d’you think I'd be? I reckon somethin’ cute and fluffy, like a pomeranian or a poodle or a shitzu or-”

Juno let her prattle on as he filled up two mugs from the coffee jug. This was why he made sure he had nothing important happening in the morning; Rita never stopped talking until she'd physically run out of air, so it was better for everyone to just let her go on. Once the mugs were filled with lukewarm coffee, he joined Rita at the table and set one in front of her.  
“-or a huskie or a samoyed-”  
“Rita- Rita! Hold on. I've got some news.”  
Aaand like clockwork, her attention switched.  
“News? What kinda news? Are ya finally goin’ on a date, Mistah Steel? I TOLD you ya just needed to get out there a little! Aww, little old Rita’s so proud-”  
“No, I'm not- Rita, I'm not going on a date! I've got an assignment that'll have me gone for about a week. I just wanted to let you know so I could say goodbye and everything.”  
Rita’s face immediately crumpled up like a paper bag.  
“You're goin’ away? For a whole week, without me? It had BETTER be somethin’ exciting!”  
Juno shrugged.  
“Not really. Dark Matters got a tip that someone's planning a major heist at this fancy holiday resort. I've gotta pretend to be married to some Rex Glass guy - the newbie? - so we can investigate it. No big deal.”

“NO BIG DEAL?!” The resulting screech was loud enough to burst Juno’s eardrums. He was sure that must've been a new record. “YOU GET TO GO FAKE MARRY MYSTERIOUS MISTAH GLASS FOR A WHOLE WEEK!”  
“Okay, tone it down! You've met him?”  
Rita practically vibrated with excitement.  
“I ain't met him, Mistah Steel, but everyone's heard about him! He's all cool and charming and unknowable like Dixie Handsome in Dixie Handsome and the Face Punchers from Mercury and you gotta pretend to be in love with him, which EVERYONE knows means you're gonna fall in love for real by the end of the week! It always happens!”  
Juno scoffed. “It does NOT always happen. That never happens!”  
“Does so! It happened in Hammerheads and Hearthrobs aaaand Lee Chapman’s Greatest Weekend Ever and Total Asteroids and-”  
“Okay, okay, I get it!”  
He sipped at his coffee with a frown. So what if it was a surprisingly common trope in the streams Rita liked? That meant nothing! Nothing whatsoever!  
“Listen, whoever this Rex Glass guy is, I'm sure he's nothing special. The only thing that's gonna happen this week is catching whatever crook thinks he can steal the, uh….” Juno flicked through the assignment brief he'd received earlier that morning. “....Jewel of Saturn, whatever that is. It won't be like one of your streams.”  
“Suuure, Mistah Steel…. whatever you say!” Rita was giving him a knowing look that he decidedly didn't like, but Juno was pretty used to that by this point.  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever I say. Just get your goodbyes in while you can, because I've got to be in a mission briefing by 11 A.M. sharp.”  
Rita giggled uncertainly.  
“11 A.M? That ain't a very funny joke, Mistah Steel, you need to work on your sense of humour!”  
“Joke? Wh- Rita, that's not a joke.” Juno eyed her over his coffee. “I've got to be there by 11. It's fine, I saved you a whole hour of chatting time.”  
“Uhh… I've got some baaad news, Mistah Steel.” Eyes wide, Rita pointed to the utilitarian wall clock across the room from them. Two to eleven. No… that couldn't be right, could it? Juno was SURE it was only ten! He yanked his comms out of his pockets to check. Two to eleven. One to eleven, now.  
“SHIT!” He slammed his mug back on the table that it nearly spilled and leapt to his feet, much to Rita’s glee.  
“BYE, MISTAH STEEL! HAVE FUN FALLIN’ IN LOOOVE!”  
By that point, he was already out the door and too far down the hallway to hear her.

Juno’s feet slammed against the steel floor all too slowly. One, two, one, two, a left and a right and another right and THERE WAS THE DOOR! His comms read 11:03 but MAYBE he wouldn't be in too much trouble for being late. Maybe. Hopefully. He threw the door open and practically fell inside, panting like a sick dog and with a sheen of sweat forming on his forehead to face his boss, and… possibly the most beautiful person he'd ever seen in his life.

The man stood with an air of royalty, shoulders pushed back and spine straight as if he knew exactly how much space he deserved to take up. Still, his lean form was anything but stiff; something about it seemed poised but relaxed. Elegant, yet ready to strike at any given second. He wore his dark hair swept back out of his eyes and… those eyes. Juno felt lost in them within seconds. They contained unfathomable depths, those eyes, and they were carved from sharpened stone. When the man smiled and held out his hand cordially, Juno was reminded of an old folk tale Mick had used to tell he and the other kids, one about a trickster fox who'd promise your greatest wishes and then deceive you. His fingers felt cool and slender around Juno’s as they shook hands. Fingers made of marble, soft yet hard. Rex Glass seemed to be like that in general, from what Juno could tell: soft enough to lure him in with a light touch and the baring of teeth, hard enough to harm him, of that he was certain.  
“My name is Agent Rex Glass.”  
He could cut himself on that smile, he thought.

“And you must be Juno Steel.”


	2. day zero: welcome to the oasis resort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juno pines a little (in denial, of course) and the stage is set for the coming week's investigative shenanigans.

For the longest time, Juno’s mind stayed blank. He was aware, dimly, that his boss was watching but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Rex’s sharp cheekbones and fox’s teeth. Weakly, he cleared his throat.

“Juno Steel. Yeah, that's, uh… me. Pleasure.”

“A pleasure indeed,” Rex replied smoothly before releasing Juno’s hand and taking a seat in one of the two chairs that had been set up. Juno took the other and allowed himself a brief moment to settle his thoughts. Come on, Steel, you're better than this. Don't let a pretty face distract you.

“Agent Steel, Agent Glass, I trust you've both read the briefings I've left for you.”

“I most certainly have, Director.” Rex flashed their boss a charming smile. “I assure you, I have the utmost confidence in my and Agent Steel's ability to complete this assignment with nothing less than flying colours.”

“Good, good. As stated, the two of you will be posing as Duke and Dahlia Rose, a newlywed couple enjoying their honeymoon at the Oasis Resort in Benoaz’s asteroid belt. Dark Matters has received a tip that sometime over the course of this week a thief is planning to steal the Jewel of Saturn, an extremely advanced piece of hacking technology, from its current owner, Brock Engstrom. I'm sure you can imagine how dangerous this technology could be if it falls into the wrong hands.”

It wasn't hard to: a master thief with the ability to hack into any technical system? That device would be a skeleton key to every hidden file, every security system to exist.

“You are to spend the week discreetly investigating your fellow guests and, if the thief makes their move, catching and subduing them. It's of the utmost importance that everyone at the resort believes you're a couple, do you understand? Even the slightest doubt could cause our thief to get skittish and make an unpredictable move.” Juno nodded and, from the corner of his eye, he saw Rex nod as well. Christ, the guy even nodded gracefully. That wasn't something Juno knew a person could DO.

“You will both have the ride there to read up on a brief about each of the guests you'll be staying with at Oasis, but once you arrive those briefs will be immediately disposed of to ensure that there's no risk of them being discovered. Do either of you have any questions?”

“Uh, yeah, just one. We don't have to pay for any of it, right?” As he cracked an attempt at a grin, the miniature Rex Glass reflected in the director’s sunglasses almost seemed to fight back his own smile. Huh. Maybe Juno was just imagining things; the guy didn't seem the type to be amused by some lady’s bad jokes. At least his boss certainly wasn't.

“No, Agent Steel, you won't. Dark Matters will provide all payment necessary; your travel and accommodation is already booked and any excess expenses can be paid for via a company card. Is that your only query?” 

Another nod. It always felt like he did a lot of nodding during these meetings, but that's how it went here. Nod, nod, yes director, yes Agent. Nod again.

“In that case, it's time for you to change into your personas’ daily wear and board the shuttle. Remember that you'll have the ride there to read over your mission briefs and guest summaries. And agents?” The director looked up from the papers they'd been organising and folded their hands together. “During this assignment, it's IMPERATIVE that none of the other guests at the Oasis have even the slightest suspicion that you aren't who you say you are. It’s best that you say hello to Duke and Dahlia Rose, and say goodbye to Rex Glass and Juno Steel.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


“Juno Steel. Such a nice name, isn't it? And the name of a goddess suits you so well.” 

Rex, or as he'd be soon enough, Duke, had been making googoo eyes at Juno for the entire shuttle ride. After the first several hours, it had gotten old and by the time they'd been in the shuttle all day, it was even older. Actually, googoo eyes was a terrible way to put it. Googoo eyes implied something soft about the look when Rex had been eyeing him like a hunter watches prey. Almost calculating in, a way. Well, it wouldn't be an issue, as long as the guy was able to act sweet enough for the next week or so. Juno was actually more worried about his own ability to do so, if he was being honest.

“Not in a talking mood? Oh, I understand if you're not. I simply thought that, well, maybe it would pay to know a little more about each other if we're to successfully pretend to be madly in love with each other.” Rex had a point, over there on the other side of the shuttle with his long legs crossed in an imitation of casualty.

“What can I say? Not much to know. Born and raised on Mars, my favourite corn chip flavour is Venusian Lime…. can't say I'm exactly a treasure trove of fun facts.” Interestingly enough, this did nothing to change the way that Rex’s eyes scanned him with such purpose and deliberation. Those deep, dark eyes- oh, dammit, Steel! Get a grip!

Rex laughed, if you could count that small noise of cultured amusement a laugh. “Oh, Juno, don't be so modest. It doesn't suit you. I doubt Dark Matters would partner me up with a total dunce for my first official assignment, would they?” 

It was true that Juno had a pretty good track record.

“Well… no, they wouldn't, but that doesn't mean anything particularly interesting about me.”

“Only that you must have a sharp wit, Juno, and a keen eye.” That smile of his was back again, the sharp and sweet one. “I suspect that will come in very handy over the next week, don't you?”

“Uh… yeah. I guess so.”

The remainder of the shuttle trip was bathed in silence, though Juno felt Rex’s eyes on him the entire time - and once the shuttle hummed and drew to a halt and the two of them carried their suitcases out, he realised that, over the entire conversation, Rex hadn't said a single thing about himself.

The minute the two of them stepped into the Oasis Resort’s reception lobby, Rex’s expression and entire demeanour changed as if by the flick of a switch. Juno watched as he flashed a sweet, charming smile at the receptionist, as he ran one hand through his hair casually, as he… gently placed his palm against Juno’s lower back to lead him forward. Juno started for a moment before remembering that it was all for a show, one in which he himself was a main actor. Relax, Juno. Still, nobody had ever led him forward so tenderly before that it was a difficult feeling to get used to. He almost wished it would stop.

As if a malicious little genie lived inside Juno’s head, right at that moment Rex's hand shifted to slip around Juno's waist and pull him comfortably close. With a start, he realised the receptionist had been speaking the entire damn time and now, Rex was replying.

“Oh, my dear Dahlia's just taking it all in! The Oasis is such a gorgeous resort that one needs a moment to simply bask in its elegance… doesn't one, my dear?”

“Uh, yeah… real fancy place you've got here.” Held close to Rex’s side like he was, he was graced with a soft, sweet aroma. Rex’s cologne? Perfume? Hair product? Whatever it was, it smelled strongly of cinnamon and chocolate and Juno wasn't quite sure how to feel about the warm feeling in his chest that it evoked.

“Well, your room will, of course, be the Honeymoon Suite on Floor 2!” The receptionist beamed and slipped a ridiculously gilded key across the counter before glancing at a clock behind her. “Unfortunately, there aren't any activities at this hour so you won't meet most of your fellow guests until tomorrow, but your bedside table will contain a schedule of all the group activities we offer here! On behalf of Oasis, I hope the two of you enjoy your stay and have a wonderful honeymoon. If you need anything at all, feel free to let me or any other staff member know.” A brief, winning smile and then the moment of hospitality was over as the receptionist picked up the phone. “Hi, you've reached the Oasis Resort, how can I help you today?”

As the two of them walked towards the elevator, Rex leaned over and pressed a brief kiss to Juno’s temple. 

“Our timing is quite unfortunate,” he murmured, head still close enough that Juno assumed anyone watching would've thought this was a simple display of affection. “I'd hoped to meet a few of the guests tonight so we don't seem like the newcomers tomorrow, but I suppose that's unavoidable.”

“Try and curb your disappointment. I, for one, can't wait to go to bed.” The jet lag from Mars to the Benzoan asteroid system was an absolute NIGHTMARE, as Juno was unfortunately beginning to discover.

“That makes two of us, Dahlia my dear. That makes two of us. Come now,” Rex added as he moved his head away and led Juno into the empty elevator. 

At least the elevators here and those back in Mars had one thing in common: ridiculous, brain-eating elevator music. Rex had let go of Juno immediately once the doors had slid shut, of course, so now they just stood side by side and bathed in the mind-numbing tunes. Other than the music, it was pure silence. For once, Rex wasn't even looking in Juno’s general direction but instead had a look of faint concentration ingrained in his face, as if he was deep in thought. At the clear ‘ding!’ that signified their stop, the thoughtful expression instantly vanished and was replaced by a sweet smile. Nothing at all like the sharp, fox-teethed ones Juno had seen from him before. Rex took Juno’s hand and led him out into the hallway towards their room. 

The door to the room looked simple enough as expected, and best of all it had a peephole. The ability to check who was knocking could be extremely helpful later down the line, Juno thought as he stuffed the key in and slipped inside. The room inside? Oh, it was gorgeous. There was no other way to put it. A grand chandelier cast warm light upon the space and each of its qualities and Juno KNEW, KNEW for a fact that he was going to enjoy himself here. A balcony, shag carpeting, goosefeather duvets on the bed… on the one king-sized bed… God dammit. Of course, a single bed for a newlywed couple. 

“Uhhh…. hey, Duke?”

“I'm a little preoccupied right now, Juno- and don't worry about the names. These walls have been assured to be soundproof.” When Juno glanced over, he was met with the sight of Rex waving a small scanner around the room. Rex checked the screen, nodded in satisfaction and returned the device to his suitcase. “No hidden cameras or recording devices. It always pays to check, you know. Now, what was it that you wanted?”

“The, uh, the bed.”

Rex cocked his head. “What about it? Is there a problem?”

Juno chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before sighing. “There's only one. We'll have to share.”

“Well, that's hardly an issue! It's a large bed and I assure you I won't infringe upon your personal space. We're both mature adults, we can deal with sharing a bed.” 

Well, when he put it like that, it did seem a little childish and the longer Juno thought about it, the more he decided this would be fine. Like Rex had said, it was a big bed. Too big for all that sappy accidental-romance stuff Rita loved.

“Yeah, I guess you're right. Dibs on the closest side to the door, though.”

“Whatever suits you, Juno.” With a small sigh, Rex picked up a small pile of clothing and walked briskly over to the en suite bathroom, which gave Juno two choices: change at the same time as Rex or wait until the bathroom was unoccupied. He settled on the latter. The idea of Rex walking out to see him struggling to pull off his shirt was nothing short of horrifying, for reasons he wasn't quite sure of. Why should he worry about what Rex thought of him? It wasn't like the guy was his superior or anything. There was just… something about him, some dignified air, that made the thought of being a klutz just plain embarrassing. Juno decided that he didn't like that.

The bathroom door slid open with a quiet, humming whoosh and Rex stepped out in a simple set of cotton pajamas. 

“If you don't mind, I'll be retiring early tonight. A man needs his beauty sleep, after all, and tomorrow will be an important day.”

“Go ahead, I'm plannin’ on the the same thing.”

Just before the bathroom door closed behind him, Juno could hear a soft sigh of relief as Rex sunk into the mass of blankets and pillows that constituted a bed.

The bathroom was simple enough: bright, clean and the first lick of privacy Juno’d had in hours. He leaned over the sink to stare at his reflection. All dressed up in a fancy, floral suit- it did make him feel pretty, but it wasn't his usual style. None of this was. A whole week of this? Honestly, he wasn't one hundred percent sure that he could manage it without slipping up and revealing, somewhere down the line, that he wasn't where he belonged. His reflection stared back at him, unblinking, before Juno finally caved and began unbuttoning his suit. If he let himself get all deep and thoughtful now, he'd be in the bathroom for hours, that much he knew.

Within a few minutes, Juno re-entered the main suite in a pair of boxers, a tank top and a bare face, nothing like the Dahlia Rose from before. The mound of blankets that was Rex didn't shift upon his entry, though it did speak.

“Turn the lights off on your way over, will you, Juno?”

“Sure thing.” Juno flicked the light switch, tossed his clothes haphazardly into his open suitcase and then slid into the cool embrace of the sheets. Across the bed, a sliver of moonlight illuminated the pale skin of Rex’s neck and the curve of his jaw- perhaps even his face, but the fact that he was facing the wall denied Juno the possibility of seeing that. He decided to follow suit and rolled over so that the two of them were back to back, though of course with a good two feet of space between them.

From behind him came a sleepy yawn, muffled by what Juno could only assume was a hand held over Rex's mouth to disguise the sound. Against all odds, the sound brought a fleeting smile to his face. However fancy and sleek Rex Glass pretended to be, he was still a human being. He still yawned, at least, and that was something. Juno hunkered down and pulled the blankets up under his neck, letting out the day’s stresses in a breath.

“Night, Rex.”

“Goodnight, Juno.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a speedy upload but unfortunately not all future uploads will be, sorry :( while I don't currently have a schedule for new chapters, I'll do my best to make sure they're added regularly! and a BIG thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments, it means the world to me to know that people are enjoying my work :) also, apologies if there are any typos ahdjgjsjs


	3. day one: breakfast and a nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juno's Wife Acting Skills are put to the test and Peter is surprisingly tender. Oh, and there's bacon!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: DROWNING. if graphic depictions of drowning trigger you or makes you uncomfortable, you can stop reading at "four... rabbits" and start again at "JUNO!"

This is how Juno knew he wasn't in one of Rita’s little cliché stream tropes: if he were, he would've woken up to see Rex’s sleeping face bathed in a soft ray of sunlight. The room would've been peaceful and quiet and, perhaps, he might have snuggled back down and returned to sleep. In reality, he was awoken by a blindingly bright room as Rex flung the curtains open in one sweeping gesture.

“Rise and shine, Juno! We've no time to sleep in; Duke and Dahlia have an entire day of activities ahead of them!”

Juno let out a croaking groan and tried to bury himself under the covers, only to have a pamphlet land on his face with a hefty smack.

“Ow! The hell was that for?”

“That pamphlet contains a list of the day’s activities! By my judgements, we will be attending at least five, meals not included. No time to waste!”

When Juno finally cracked his eyes open, he was met with the sight of Rex already fully dressed in a sharp waistcoat and staring at him expectantly. He groaned again and rolled over, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“Okay, okay, I'm up. Getting up, at least. I'll be ready to go in ten minutes. Happy?”

“Make that five, Juno, and I will be.” With all too much energy for… Jesus, seven in the morning according to the alarm clock’s screen, Rex waltzed off into the bathroom. The door had already slid shut behind him by the time Juno was able to drag himself out of bed.

  
  
  


Approximately fifteen minutes later (much to Rex’s displeasure, and he made that very clear) the two of them finally left the room, Rex dressed to the nines in his trim maroon waistcoat and Juno feeling intensely out of place in a matching sweetheart neckline dress. They walked with arms intertwined to the elevator and promptly let go of each other once they were inside and, much as he hated to admit it even to himself, Juno immediately missed the small sense of stability that the contact gave him. Not that he was scared or anything! Just… out of his depth. Sharpshooting, investigating, fights to the death? Those he could do, no problem. What he was about to walk into, however, was so far out of his league that it may as well have been in the Andromeda galaxy. 

“...Rex, I dunno if I'll be able to do this. It's not really my element.”

“Relax, Juno.” Rex tilted his head and, if Juno looked very hard, he could almost imagine that something in that expression of his softened a little. “You look stunning. You'll fit right in.”

At that, Juno managed an awkward laugh.

“You don't need to butter me up until we're actually in front of people, you know.”

“I wasn't- oh! Here we are. Do try to look a little less grumpy.” Rex’s face smoothed out into a pleasant, doe-eyed smile just as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the dining area.

In an instant Juno's gaze was already sweeping over the few guests that milled around the breakfast buffet table, singling them out one by one while he internally revised the few facts he'd been given about each. This breakfast would be his and Rex’s first impression on all of them; they had to make it count. Forcing a polite expression, Juno leaned against Rex while they walked. He was surprisingly soft for someone so lean and Juno found himself relaxing, just a little, as they approached an older woman who was eyeing the waffles eagerly. She peered up at them upon their arrival.

“Oh! I don't think I've seen the two of you around… did you just arrive?”

Rex was immediately all smiles, giving Juno’s waist a small squeeze that somehow managed to rock him to his core.

“We did, just last night! My name is Duke Rose and this is my darling wife, Dahlia. We're on our honeymoon- isn't that right, my love?”

Juno cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. “Uh… yeah. Lookin’ forward to having some time to... just the two of us.” 

“Aww, what a dear! It's alright, no need to be embarrassed!” The woman, who Juno remembered to be a business tycoon's wife by the name of Eleanor Arlemonte, heaped a hefty helping of waffles onto her plate and gave him a reassuring smile. “Why, when I was young and in love, there was nothing I wanted more than to spend every minute with my dear Johnny… oh, I'm so terribly sorry! How rude…I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Eleanor, Eleanor Arlemonte- but you can just call me Elly or Nora.” Eleanor beamed. “All my friends do. But enough about me! Do the two of you have any activities you're excited about?”

Rex replied something peppy to that, Juno was sure, but all he could focus on was how Rex's hand ran absently up and down his side. The material of his dress was thin enough that he could feel the slight pressure of those slender fingers and the warmth of Rex's palm. It shouldn't’ve been distracting him, it really shouldn't have. This was all strictly an act. 

All of a sudden, Juno became aware that both Rex and Eleanor were looking at him expectantly. “Uh, sorry- could you repeat that?”

Eleanor let out a tittering laugh

“Ah, young love… daydreaming, are we?”

“Oh, Dahlia just gets like this sometimes; it's one of his many charms!” Rex chuckled and leaned down to briefly kiss him on the cheek. Juno was sure he'd be able to feel the heat that was positively radiating off his face with embarrassment.

“Yeah, uh… my bad.” Come on, Steel, time to kick your acting skills into gear! If he had any, that was. “It's easy to get distracted when Duke is all dressed up like this, can you blame a gal?” A wave of relief washed over him when this was greeted by another laugh from Eleanor.

“I suppose I really can't, can I? You two make such a sweet couple with all your good looks!” She piled yet another waffle onto the already precarious stack on her plate and winked. “Well, I'll leave you be. If you need me, I'll be lounging in the sim-sun with my breakfast!” 

“It was lovely meeting you, Eleanor.” Rex offered her a blinding smile. “May our paths cross again during our stay.”

As Eleanor walked carefully off with her plate of waffles balanced uncertainly, Rex raised an eyebrow.

“See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?”

“Easy for you to say. I'm not a people person.”

Juno slipped away to retrieve a plate of his own. The platters covering the buffet table were releasing a masterpiece of smells and by god, he was NOT letting anything or anyone get in the way of this breakfast. Juno was STARVING. He snatched up several rashers of bacon with the tongs and dumped them onto his plate, eliciting a quiet laugh from behind him.

“That's a rather… interesting choice.”

Juno’s heart sank and he turned, fixing a scowl on Rex. He'd thought the guy was okay, but seriously? Apparently he was a bit of an asshole!

“Okay, listen. I haven't eaten since yesterday's shuttle trip and I'm sure as hell not letting you police what I have for breakfast. Got it?”

A beat of silence passed and Rex looked rather taken aback before tilting his head and gently prying the tongs out of Juno’s hand. 

“My intention was never to police you, Juno.” His voice was low enough that surely nobody lined up along the table would've been able to hear it and he smiled at Juno, grabbing almost the same amount of bacon for his own plate. “In fact, I happen to like ‘interesting’. Especially when it means I don't starve to death.”

...Okay, maybe not so much of an asshole. Oops. 

“...Ha, yeah. Knew that.” Juno lowered his head and, all the while mindful of the amused look that was being sent his way, took back the tongs and turned the fury of his hunger towards the pancakes.

  
  
  
  


To be completely honest, their first day at the Oasis Resort was just plain dull. Maybe he was just too used to the fast-paced action of his usual Dark Matters assignments, but a whole day of inane vacation activities and meeting rich people had Juno bored out of his mind. Sure, it was important to scout everyone out and see who was acting suspicious, but as far as he'd been able to tell everyone they'd met seemed to be regular, albeit disgustingly wealthy, citizens. Rex had come to the same conclusion shortly before retiring to bed, which left Juno quietly pacing the dark room in his pajamas. So far they'd met Eleanor Arlemonte, the waffle lady… Rowan Briggs, who owned a shopping mall on some faraway asteroid… Maxine and Roxy Rayson, the former of which who'd developed a revolutionary medicine… and, most disappointingly of all, no Brock Engstrom. Juno had been hoping to at least catch a glimpse of the guy; anyone with their hands on the Jewel of Saturn must've been pretty important. Well, here's to hoping he and Rex would get a chance to meet him the following day. Speaking of Rex…

Juno paused his pacing to glance over at the dimly silhouetted mound on the bed. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness enough to spot a mess of black hair, stark in contrast to the white of the pillow. He still wasn't sure exactly what to think of Rex, really; he wasn't exactly a trusting lady and the guy had given Juno no explicit reason to trust him so far. But… he'd been sweet so far and, throughout the day, Juno had grown so used to the feeling of Rex’s arm around his waist that the empty space there now felt wrong. He didn't know what to think of that. 

As Rex shifted in bed, Juno shook his head and climbed under the sheets on the other side. He didn't have to think about that right now. What he DID have to do was go to sleep.

One rabbit, two rabbits, three rabbits, four… rabbits…

…

  
  
  


Juno was underwater. That was all he knew: that he was underwater, that it was dark and that he couldn't breathe. He couldn't even tell whether it was the water or the darkness itself that pressed down on him, trapping him, suffocating him. Which way was up? Which way was air? His heart thudded in his ears, muffled by the crushing pressure of the darkness. His lungs burned. How much longer did he have before he'd need to take a breath? How much longer before the water would fill his lungs like inky sludge, sinking him even deeper? How much longer before-

Juno took a breath.

The pain was immediate. Jarring, searing agony that radiated from his chest outwards to the tips of his fingers and, coating it all like cling-wrap, panic. He thrashed, he screamed, but the screaming only let in more water and made the pain worse and he his body was spasming and he couldn't breathe he couldn't see he couldn't THINK—

“JUNO!”

Gasping, Juno shot up. His lungs continued to heave desperately for air, only now they received it abundantly. He was back in their room at the resort. Not underwater… not in any danger. Still, he couldn't stop the way his heart practically vibrated. As it slowed down, he regained a little sense, enough to realise that Rex’s hands were gripping his shoulders in concern. In fact, Rex himself loomed over Juno in the darkness, eyes wide and hair falling into his face. 

“Juno? Are you alright?” There was a slight scratch of sleepiness to Rex’s voice and Juno felt a twinge of guilt; he was obviously sleeping before that little fit interrupted him.

“I'm fine. It was nothing.”

“...You were screaming, Juno.” Rex’s grip on his shoulders loosened, but only slightly. 

“Typical drowning nightmare. Happens about once a week, I'm used to it by now.”

Rex watched him for a moment before settling back down reluctantly.

“That sounds like quite an awful thing to grow used to.”

“What, you don't get nightmares?”

A pregnant silence followed for a few awful seconds until Rex punctured it, almost tentatively.

“...I do. I apologise if I seemed invasive.”

“Nah- it's fine. Best thing for me to do now is… just try to sleep.” And, with his back turned to Rex, Juno did genuinely try, but after a few minutes it became obvious that the constant hammering of his heart wasn't going to stop any time soon. In fact, Juno had just resigned himself to a night of terrified sleeplessness when a slender hand reached over and took his gently, predated only by the quiet swishing of sheets as Rex shifted closer. Close enough that he could smell that now-familiar hint of cinnamon.

“You aren't alone, Juno.” When Rex spoke, his voice came from close behind Juno's neck, a lack of distance that belay something soft and careful. “Remember that.”

Juno might have moved away, and in fact the sensible side of his brain told him to, but something about the way that the pad of Rex’s thumb was gently stroking over his knuckles persuaded him to stay in place. The movement was slow, repetitive… oddly soothing, and with every slow stroke his heart eased its crashing until it beat at a slow, calm pace. Even then, Rex didn't move away. Juno was glad for that.

This time, there was no need for counting Martian rabbits to lure the heavy comfort of sleep closer and Juno found himself drifting off, barely present. The sliver of consciousness that remained, however, was just enough to feel the slight warmth of a quiet sigh and to hear a low whisper in the night, one filled to the very brim with care.

“Goodnight, Juno.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back to my inconsistent posting schedule! forgive me for any errors because I wrote almost all of this chapter at 1 in the morning :)


	4. day two: having a ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you'd better be ready for juno in a pretty dress again because when I say ball, I mean BALL!

The following morning neither of them mentioned the nightmare, nor the gentle hand-holding that had followed. Sure, throughout the morning routine and breakfast buffet Juno caught Rex watching him several times, but neither of them actually spoke a word of it. It seemed they were both some degree of desperate to act like that strange moment of intimacy had never happened. Rex, to his credit, played the part excellently; in fact, had Juno not caught the glances Rex tossed at him he nearly would've thought that the whole thing was a dream. Even Rex's acting skills weren't perfect, though, and they betrayed that something had changed, even if Juno didn't know exactly what. 

At least none of that mattered when they had their little newlywed façade going on. Currently they lay lounged in the sim-sun, one of Rex’s arms draped over Juno's shoulders in the most casual display of affection possible. 

“You know, Dahlia dear,” he proclaimed loudly enough so that the few other guests dotted around on their own lounges would be able to hear, “I heard there was a ball of sorts being held tonight, and I thought we might as well go! You know I think you look stunning in your formal wear.” Juno wondered, briefly, if that was a truth or just another part of the act. “And besides, I'd love the chance to mingle. There are so many wonderful guests here we have yet to meet!”

The remaining words hung in the air, unspoken: Engstrom was sure to be there and this was the perfect opportunity to get a good look at him, especially considering that he had been strangely hard to get hold of so far. 

Even though nobody was looking in their direction, Juno ironed a smile onto his face. “Sure, why not? Hey, maybe I'll even grab something fancy from the snack bar while we're at it.”

Rex let out a small, amused laugh that Juno probably would've found patronising when they first met. That felt like a while ago, though.

“I certainly hope you'll eat something before then, Dahlia! After all, the ball is in…..” He took a moment to check his watch, a delicate strip of silver that snaked around his wrist. Juno wanted to imagine that its rhythmic ticking matched Rex’s pulse. “Seven hours.”

  
  
  


“The ball is in twenty minutes, Juno! I do hope you're almost done in there, or we'll be sure to miss it!” Rex’s voice echoed from right on the other side of the bathroom door and Juno groaned, twisting his arm to pull his zipper up the final stretch of fabric. This damn dress would be the death of him and Rex’s incessant hovering wasn't helping at ALL.

“What does it matter if we're five minutes late? Nobody’ll notice, it's fine.”

He was greeted by a short ‘tssk’ from through the door.

“Oh, Juno, Juno, Juno… the plan isn't to arrive on time. It's to arrive fashionably late! But if you stay in there much longer, I'm afraid that ‘fashionably’ will become ‘disgracefully’.”

FINALLY, Juno’s zipper unstuck and slid up the rest of the way. He let out a sigh. 

“Alright, alright, I'm coming out.”

He didn't know what to expect as a reaction, but it certainly wasn't the way that Rex's breath caught audibly and his hand froze in midair from where it had been about to open the door. It wasn't the way something in his eyes spoke of captivation, as if he was entranced by a piece of priceless art. It must've been the dress, he decided; it was a nice dress. Long enough to drape to the floor and trail around his feet, the layers upon layers of gossamer created an illusion of otherworldliness. Embroidered hummingbirds froze mid-flight in a sea of dusky pink. Yeah, it was a nice dress. It would've looked nice on anyone- but Rex wasn't looking at the dress. 

“...You look… wonderful, Juno.” His voice lacked its usual certainty and bravado, replaced by something breathy. Tentative. Juno could already feel the tips of his ears heating up.

“Yeah, well, I try. Now, what was that you said about being fashionably late instead of disgracefully?”

Rex blinked and nodded distractedly.

“Ah- yes, I suppose we'd better go, hadn't we?”

Surprisingly enough, the short walk and elevator ride were uninterrupted. Apparently the two of them really WOULD be fashionably late- either that or incredibly early, and that didn't seem likely. As they approached the door to the ballroom, however, a growing sense of unease blossomed in Juno's chest. He forced it to the back of his mind; Juno Steel didn't get spooked by things like fancy parties. Then, all of a sudden, Rex’s arm was wound familiarly around his waist and he was in amongst a crowd of people, all dressed to the nines. An orchestra in the corner of the room played a slow, winding melody that filled the arched dome of the room. “An orchestra, huh? Boy, this place really IS fancy.”

“It is, isn't it? Come with me- fancy a dance with your dear fiancé?” It was an offer Juno couldn't refuse and he tagged along somewhat helplessly as Rex lead him out into the middle of the room, inserting the pair of them into the whirlpool of dancing couples.

“Uhh, Duke, just one problem- I'm the worst dancer on Mars.”

“Well, we're not on Mars right now, are we? It's not so hard. All you need to do is not trip up and you'll be perfectly fine.”

Despite Rex’s reassurance, it felt as if every eye on the room was on Juno and his bumbling steps. His slouched posture. The message radiating off him, he was sure, that screamed that this wasn't where he belonged, amongst the fancy dresses and niceties. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Juno,” Rex murmured softly, and when Juno glanced up his eyes were tinted with concern. “Is something wrong?”

“No, everything's fine, I just… feel kind of out of place here. I know it's stupid, okay? But everyone here is glamorous and polite and I stick out like a sore thumb in something this pretty.”

Rex’s uncomprehending stare prompted him to continue. “It's pretty obvious to anyone with eyes that I don't belong here.”

“...Juno, you're a vision. I don't know how you could think otherwise.” Rex’s hand, placed on Juno’s waist for the dance, slipped around to his lower back and he was vividly reminded of how Rex had held his hand the previous night, gently reassuring without encroaching upon any boundaries. He laughed quietly, almost inaudible under the swell of the violins and grand piano.

“No offense, Rex, but I know when someone's just trying to make me feel better.” He'd gotten pretty good at it over the years.

“I'm not trying to make you feel better, Juno. It's the truth.”

“Yeah, and cats have two eyes-” Juno's sentence was abruptly cut off and the music reached a crescendo in one stunning moment. It wasn't the instruments that interrupted him, though; it was the fact that Rex had suddenly drawn him close and kissed him.

A wave of emotions crashed over Juno all at once. No, not a wave, a tsunami. Something bigger than a tsunami. He scrambled to make sense of all the new senses: the rich sweetness of Rex’s cologne, the way he held Juno like a priceless object, the gentle press of his lips…. and oh, those lips. Juno had had his fair share of kisses in the past, but none of them compared to Rex’s pillow-soft mouth and hint of mint mouthwash. He would've killed to freeze that moment right there and immortalise it forever. Unfortunately, Rex had to pull away eventually, but the adoration in his eyes made Juno want to melt on the spot.

“Do you believe me now?”

Juno, ever the poet, replied something equally romantic and eloquent. 

“...Huhwha?” This only served to make Rex’s face crease up into a genuine laugh, though, and he slowed down to lead Juno off the dance floor. Good thing; Juno doubted he would've been able to continue dancing as gooey-feeling as he was. He half-clung to Rex as they migrated to the refreshments, head near enough his ear to speak quietly. 

“Hey- hey.”

“Yes, Juno?” When Rex looked down at him, Juno was surprised to see something bordering on concern in his expression.

“Do you wanna do that again?”

In an instant, the concern was replaced by a look of pleasantly surprised delight.

“My, my! Well, you certainly don't need to ask twice.”

When Rex kissed him again, Juno didn't feel fireworks or sparkles or any of that nonsense about electricity that Rita always rambled about in her streams. He just felt…. warm. Warm and held, cradled close and away from the crowd of rich holiday-goers. 

“I hate to interrupt you two lovebirds, but I believe an introduction is in order.”

And just like that, the moment was gone and Juno jolted away to be faced with a stocky, bearded man that he recognised to be Brock Engstrom. Engstrom held out his hand and gave each of them a firm handshake. He smiled like a politician. Juno didn't like that; he knew better then to trust that kind of smile.

“I'm Brock Engstrom, though I'm sure you already know that.” The smile changed, just a little, into that of someone smugly aware that he holds a full poker hand.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Rex Glass and Juno Steel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for my inconsistent update schedule gang! I've had a lot going on and have had difficulty finding the time and motivation to write. thanks endlessly for all your kudos and supportive comments :)


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